Honey for a Perfectionist's Heart
Is there anyone out there who is a perfectionist like me? I am your classic, first-born, reserved, conscientious female who likes everything just right in order to relax and enjoy. The weather has to be right, we have to get there in time, and my outfit must be perfect! Unfortunately, we live after the Fall on a planet where nothing is "just right." And so I have spent much of my life frustrated, as little and big problems marred the experiences and objects I so wanted to savor.
It is only in recent years that I have begun learning the art of rolling with the punches. Of finding the joy in the unplanned moments, and picking out the beauty amid the things that go wrong. I've found that nothing can match the enjoyment of something spontaneous! And don't you just love spontaneous people?
Some time ago I found this insightful quote that really gave me a lot of perspective on this. It is by Alexandra Stoddard, a secular interior decorator.
"Perfect. Think about that word. When something is perfect, it can't be improved upon. Perfection is sterile, cold, unloving. . . Perfectionists rate low on self-esteem because nothing they do, or create, ever meets their standards. . . Perfection, in the final analysis, halts the creative process. It is the enemy of spontaneity and serendipity, surely two of the most glorious gifts of life. . .
"Where is the living taking place? Living well is an earthy business. We may celebrate the daily moments of life when we throw an extra log on a roaring fire, light a scented candle, open a window, move a chair over to the light, sip a glass of Chardonnay, prepare a snack, read the paper, or write a letter with a fountain pen; but the soot, the scratches, the crumbs, the ring on the table, the mess on the floor, the ink on the chintz, the wrinkles, the work -- these are all part of the romance of everyday living. Perfection, on the other hand, chills the mystery and leaves us frozen in space. Perfectionists miss it all."
posted by HeatherErin at
2:49 PM
4 Comments:
Oh Hedy, I loved this post! Maybe because I have been pondering a lot the past few days how MUCH I love spontaneity. And I too, can be a perfectionist. God has been asking me to just live in the moment, thank Him for the way He orders each circumstance, and trust Him when it doesn't seem as "ideal" as I would choose. Thanks for sharing your heart.
I'm a second-born perfectionist. I agonize over the slightest imperfection in my life or projects. So that quote was perfect for me! Thanks for sharing that.
And I've grown to LOVE spontaneous people! :D
Awww, I wish more people would have commented on this one! I thought it was a really good post.
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